Overseas merchandise trade: April 2023
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Overseas merchandise trade: April 2023
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Overseas merchandise trade: April 2023 – revisions to previously published statistics
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Key facts
April 2023 monthly values are actual and compared with April 2022.
- Goods exports rose $641 million (10 percent), to $6.8 billion.
- Goods imports rose $683 million (12 percent), to $6.4 billion.
- The monthly trade balance was a surplus of $427 million.
Text alternative for Goods exports and imports, April 2023 month compared with April 2022 month
Exports
Milk powder, butter, and cheese lead monthly export rise
Goods exports rose $641 million (10 percent) to $6.8 billion in April 2023 compared with April 2022.
Milk powder, butter, and cheese (our largest export commodity group) rose $406 million (26 percent), to $2.0 billion.
- Milk powder rose $209 million (26 percent) in value, to $1.0 billion; the quantity exported rose 43 percent. The average unit price fell 12 percent.
- Milk fats (including butter) rose $89 million (27 percent) in value, to $415 million; the quantity exported rose 32 percent. The average unit price fell 3.3 percent.
- Cheese rose $89 million (43 percent) in value, to $295 million; the quantity exported rose 25 percent. The average price per kilogram rose 15 percent.
- Fresh milk and cream rose $19 million (17 percent) in value, to $133 million; the quantity exported rose 1.5 percent. The average unit price rose 15 percent.
Counted outside this category, preparations of milk, cereals, flour, and starch (including infant formula) rose $48 million (28 percent), to $217 million.
Fish, crustaceans, and molluscs rose $66 million (52 percent). Rock lobster led this increase, up $32 million (608 percent) in value, and 544 percent in quantity. The average unit price was up 9.9 percent.
Meat and edible offal rose $30 million (3.5 percent), to $881 million.
- Beef rose $27 million (6.7 percent) in value, to $422 million; the quantity exported rose 19 percent. The average price per kilogram fell 10 percent.
- Sheep meat fell $8.3 million (2.1 percent) in value, to $394 million; the quantity exported rose 10 percent. The average price per kilogram fell 11 percent.
Fruit rose $14 million (2.1 percent), to $698 million.
- Apples rose $18 million (12 percent) in value, to $162 million; the quantity exported fell 1.4 percent. The average price per kilogram rose 14 percent.
- Green kiwifruit rose $43 million (99 percent) in value, to $87 million; the quantity exported rose 59 percent. The average price per kilogram rose 25 percent.
- Gold kiwifruit fell $49 million (10 percent) in value, to $430 million; the quantity exported fell 21 percent. The average price per kilogram rose 13 percent.
China leads monthly exports rise
The monthly movements in April 2023 compared with April 2022, for our top export partners (ordered by total annual goods exports) were:
Imports
Goods imports rose $683 million (12 percent) to $6.4 billion in April 2023 compared with April 2022.
Petroleum and products lead imports rise
Petroleum and products rose $738 million (312 percent) to $974 million.
- Diesel rose $323 million (291 percent) in value, to $433 million; the quantity imported rose 241 percent. The average unit price rose 15 percent.
- Singapore was the main contributor to the rise, up $124 million.
- Singapore made up 29 percent of the total diesel value imported; South Korea made up 27 percent.
- Petrol rose $244 million (305 percent) in value, to $324 million; the quantity imported rose 307 percent. The average unit price fell 0.5 percent.
- Singapore was the main contributor to the rise, up $218 million.
- Singapore made up 67 percent of the total petrol value imported; South Korea made up 19 percent.
Mechanical and machinery and equipment, rose $92 million (11 percent) to $910 million, led by turbo-jets, up $123 million (104 percent).
Electrical machinery and equipment, rose $86 million (17 percent) to $581 million, led by cell phones, up $31 million (19 percent).
The European Union leads monthly import rise
The monthly movements in April 2023 compared with April 2022, for our top import partners (ordered by total annual goods imports) were:
Trade surplus in April 2023
The monthly trade balance was a surplus of $427 million. In April 2022 there was a surplus of $469 million.
April 2023 year
Annual values are actual and compared with the year ended April 2022.
- Annual goods exports were $72.8 billion, up $6.6 billion from the previous year.
- Annual goods imports were $89.6 billion, up $14.2 billion from the previous year.
- The annual trade balance was a deficit of $16.8 billion. In the year ended April 2022 there was a deficit of $9.1 billion.
Text alternative for Goods exports and imports, April 2023 month compared with April 2022 month
The diagram shows goods exports and imports for the April 2023 month compared with the April 2022 month. The trade balance is a surplus of $427 million. This is the difference between exports valued at $6.8 billion (up $641 million or 10 percent) and imports valued at $6.4 billion (up $683 million or 12 percent). Export commodities that rose included milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $406 million (26 percent), ships, boats, and floating structures*, up $178 million (539 percent), fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, up $66 million (52 percent), and preparation of milk, cereals, flour, and starch (include infant formula), up $48 million (28 percent). Export commodities to fall included crude oil, down $95 million (100 percent), wood pulp and waste paper, down $42 million (53 percent), Albumins, gelatin, glues, and enzymes, down $25 million (35 percent), and casein, down $16 million (12 percent). Import commodities that rose included petroleum and products, up $738 million (312 percent), mechanical machinery and equipment, up $92 million (11 percent), and aircraft and parts*, up $53 million (169 percent). Import commodities that fell included fertilizers, down $102 million (77 percent), iron and steel, and articles, down $53 million (27 percent), other chemical products**, down $50 million (43 percent), and precious metals, jewellery, and coins, down $46 million (43 percent).
*Exports and imports of ships, boats, and floating structures, and aircraft, spacecraft and parts fluctuate month to month based on individual large movements.
**Other chemical products include diagnostic reagents test kits. Source: Stats NZ.
Text alternative for Top goods trading partners with New Zealand – exports, April 2023 month compared with April 2022 month
The diagram shows the major goods export movements for our top five export partners (ranked by total annual goods exports). The movements are comparing April 2023 month with April 2022. There is a column for each of the top five countries, with the country’s flag at the top of the column, and the commodity group names in the column. The top three negative and positive movements for each country are shown. An arrow pointing left indicates a negative movement for that commodity, and an arrow pointing right indicates a positive movement. From left to right (in order of total annual goods exports), the movements are:
- China: total exports were up $259 million (16 percent). The top three rises were: milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $132 million, meat and edible offal, up $44 million, and fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, up $22 million. The top three falls were: wood pulp and waste paper, down $23 million, mechanical machinery and equipment, down $5.4 million, and live animals, down $4.5 million.
- Australia: total exports were up $67 million (10 percent). The top three rises were: precious metals, jewellery, and coins, up $19 million, mechanical machinery and equipment, up $13 million, and milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $11 million. The top three falls were: textiles and textile articles*, down $6.1 million, logs, wood, and wood articles, down $4.3 million, and wood pulp and waste paper, down $3.3 million.
- USA: total exports were up $109 million (17 percent). The top three rises were: meat and edible offal, up $21 million, animal or vegetable fats and oils, up $20 million, and fruit, up $18 million. The top three falls were: casein and caseinates, down $13 million, optical, medical, and measuring equipment, down $8.0 million, and pharmaceutical products, down $5.2 million.
- EU: total exports were down $2.2 million (0.4 percent). The top three rises were: meat and edible offal, up $41 million, fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, up $14 million, and vegetables, up $14 million. The top three falls were: fruit, down $68 million, ships, boats, and floating structures, down $10 million, and albumins, gelatin, glues, and enzymes, down $7.2 million.
- Japan: total exports were down $53 million (12 percent). The top three rises were: fruit, up $29 million, logs, wood, and wood articles, up $18 million, and milk powder, butter, and cheese, up $12 million. The top three falls were: aluminium and aluminium articles, down $33 million, meat and edible offal, down $26 million, and vegetables, down $10 million.
*Exclude wool (HS code 5101). Source: Stats NZ.
Text alternative for Top goods trading partners with New Zealand – imports, April 2023 month compared with April 2022 month
The diagram shows the major goods import movements for our top five import partners (ranked by total annual goods imports). The movements are comparing April 2023 month with April 2022. There is a column for each of the top five countries, with the country’s flag at the top of the column, and the commodity group names in the column. The top three negative and positive movements for each country are shown. An arrow pointing left indicates a negative movement for that commodity, and an arrow pointing right indicates a positive movement. From left to right (in order of total annual goods imports), the movements are:
- China: total imports were down $29 million (2.4 percent). The top three rises were: electrical machinery and equipment, up $33 million, optical, medical, and measuring equipment, up $6.7 million, and miscellaneous edible preparations, up $4.0 million. The top three falls were: other chemical products, down $16 million, plastic and plastic articles, down $11 million, and mechanical machinery and equipment, down $10 million.
- EU: total imports were up $108 million (13 percent). The top three rises were: mechanical machinery and equipment, up $47 million, vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $17 million, and optical, medical, and measuring equipment, up $12 million. The top three falls were: tanning extracts, dyes, paints, and putty, down $2.6 million, precious metals, jewellery, and coins, down $2.0 million, and textiles and textile articles, down $1.1 million.
- Australia: total imports were down $37 million (5.1 percent). The top three rises were: cereals, up $23 million, vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $23 million, and pharmaceutical products, up $12 million. The top three falls were: other chemical products, down $19 million, precious metals, jewellery, and coins, down $17 million, and paper and paperboard, and articles, down $17 million.
- USA: total imports were up $46 million (7.6 percent). The top three rises were: mechanical machinery and equipment, up $51 million, electrical machinery and equipment, up $38 million, and sugars and sugar confectionery, up $14 million. The top three falls were: pharmaceutical products, down $32 million, precious metals, jewellery, and coins , down $18 million, and food residues, wastes, and fodder, down $16 million.
- South Korea: total imports were down $28 million (8.3 percent). The top three rises were: petroleum and products, up $6.5 million, vehicles, parts, and accessories, up $4.3 million, and mechanical machinery and equipment, up $3.7 million. The top three falls were: other chemical products, down $23 million, iron and steel, and articles, down $22 million, and plastics and plastic articles, down $3.1 million. Source: Stats NZ.
More data
Use Infoshare to access time-series data for imports and exports:
Subject category: Imports and exports
Overseas merchandise trade datasets has CSV data for goods imports and exports.
International trade: December 2022 quarter has information on trade in goods and services.
Definitions and metadata
Overseas merchandise trade – DataInfo+ provides the definitions of terms used in this release and general methodology used to produce overseas merchandise trade statistics.
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media@stats.govt.nz
Technical enquiries
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info@stats.govt.nz
ISSN 1178-0320
Next release
Overseas merchandise trade: May 2023 will be released on 22 June 2023.
